Clamp for wire-stretchers.



H. E. G. BOTTGER.

CLAMP FOR WIRE STRETCHERS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1913.

1 ,086, 1 3 1 Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo HENRY EDWARD CARL BOTTGER, OF .WOODSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

CLAMP FOR WIRE-STRETCHERS.

, Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed May 15, 1913.

Patented Feb. 3,1914.

Serial No. 767,820.

To all whom it may concern: 7 s

Be it known that I, HENRY EDWARD CARL Borrow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Woodside, in the county of San Mateo and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Imp-rovements in Clamps for Wire-Stretchers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to wire working, and more especially to tension devices; and the object of the same is to produce a friction clamp by means of which wire or wire fabric may be worked, as when the clamp forms part of a fence wire stretcher. This object is carried out by constructing the clamp in the manner hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of this clamp, partly in section; and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 1, 5, 6, are perspective details of parts to be referred to hereinafter.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates an upright bar, preferably of wood, and which may be said to constitute the fixed jaw of a wire stretcher or a fence stretcher; and the numeral 2 designates an upright strip of T-iron whose head 3 is slightly curved, this element constituting the movable jaw of the stretcher. Said curved head 3 is of a size to pass between two upright ribs 1 which are carried by that face of the bar 1 which is adjacent the T-iron 2 so that the wire or fence fabric indicated by IV in the drawings may be engaged between these jaws when they are drawn together. For this purpose the bar 1 is provided with holes 5 at suitable points, and through each hole passes a link 6 best seen in Fig. 6 its center being looped as at 7, and its ends being hooked and overlapped as at 8, so that its arms 9 can be passed through notches or holes 10 in the webs of the head 3 of the T-iron and its hooks 8 engaged behind the shank thereof asseen in Fig. 2. Coacting with the link is a hook best seen in Fig. 3. This is formed with a hook or bill 11 at one end which engages the looped center 7 of the link 6, and with a bail or eye 12 at its other end for a purpose to appear. The cross bar 13 of said eye passes through a hole 14 at the angle of an L-shaped lever 15 best shown in Fig. 1, which lever is actuated by a handle 16 secured to its upright arm. Its horizontal arm is forked as shown at 17, and between the fork arms at the point 18 is pivoted an eye 19 at the upper end of a strong bent spring 20 best seen in Fig. 5. This spring is substantially U-shaped in side elevation, and its inner leaf 21 is bolted as at 22 to the bar 1 as best seen at the top of Fig. 1.

The parts are preferably entirely of metal, excepting the bar 1 which may be of wood, and by preference I would employ metal for the movable jaw which is herein described as a T-iron. The upright bar 1 may be of any suitable length, and in Fig. 1 the same is shown as provided with two of the clamps described above. This device will doubtless form part of a fence wire stretcher, although the details of such machine are not necessary to the present invention which is directed more toward the clamp.

With the parts constructed as above described, the wire or wire fabric W is inserted over the two ribs 4 across the back of the bar 1, and under the curved head 3 of the movable jaw 2, and then when the handle 16 is borne down upon the eye 19 at the upper end of the spring 20 serves as a fulcrum around which moves the hole 14. in which the cross bar 13 at the outer end of the hook member is pivoted. The result is that the hook 11 at the inner end of this member draws forcibly on the looped center 7 of the link 6, and the latter is moved inward through the bar so that the movable jaw is drawn to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the fabric W is clamped in a manner which will be clear. It is my preference to make the spring 20 quite stout, and when the handle 16 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the jaws will be drawn together upon the fabric V with a force dependent upon the strength of this spring. The use of such a device in a wire stretcher need not be amplified herein.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a clamp, the combination with a fixed jaw having upright ribs along the edges of its rear face and a hole through its body; of a movable jaw of Tshaped cross section whose head is curved and of a size to pass between said ribs and provided with holes, a link engaging the shank of this member and having arms passing through said holes and through the hole in the fixed jaw, and lever mechanism for drawing on the other end of the link.

2. In a clamp, the combination with a fixed jaw having upright ribs along the edges of its rear face and a hole through its body; of a movable jaw of T-shaped cross section whose head is curved and a size to pass between said ribs and provided with holes, a li-nk having a bent center and substantially parallel arms passing through the hole inthe' fixed jaw and the holes in the movable jaw, and said arms having overlapping hooks at their ends which engage behind the web of said Tshaped member, and link mechanism for drawing on the looped end of this link.

In a clamp, the combination with an upright bar constituting a fixed jaw and pierced with a hole, an upright member constituting a movable jaw and standing adja cent the rear face of said bar, and a link connected with said member and passing through the hole in said bar; of a U-shaped spring whereof one arm is bolted to the front face of thebar and the other arm has an eye, a lever pivoted to said eye and havlink.

4-. In a clamp, the combination with an upright bar constituting a fixed jaw and pierced with a hole, an upright member constltutin a movable aw and standln ad acent the rear face of said bar, and a link connected with said member and passing through the hole in said bar; of a Ushaped spring whereof one arm is bolted to the front face of the bar and the other arm has an eye, an L-shaped lever having a hole through its angle and its horizontal arm forked and pivoted astride said eye, a handle carried by the depending arm of said lever, and a hook inclosing the head of the lever and having a cross bar passing through said hole and a bill at its rear end removably engaging said link.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY EDWARD CARL BOTTGER.

Witnesses Gno. E. SHINE, Prnoy HILLEBRAND.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

